According to Genesis, Noah sent a dove from Noah’s Ark, and it returned with an olive leaf.
The bird sequence comes near the end of the Flood account. Noah first sent out a raven, which went back and forth while the waters receded. He then sent a dove to learn whether the floodwater had gone down from the ground. On its first trip, the dove found nowhere to rest and returned to the ark.
After seven days, Noah sent the dove again. This time it came back toward evening carrying a freshly plucked olive leaf. Noah therefore understood that the waters had receded further. A final release of the dove produced no return, signaling that the land was becoming habitable.
The olive branch or olive leaf later became a widely recognized symbol of peace. In the biblical passage, its immediate function is practical: it provides Noah with evidence that vegetation has reappeared and the Flood is ending.