According to Genesis, Noah sent out a dove after sending out a raven.
Genesis 8 describes Noah opening the ark’s window and sending out birds to learn whether the floodwaters had receded. The raven flew back and forth, while Noah later sent a dove. The dove initially found nowhere to rest, then returned to the ark. After seven days, Noah sent it again, and it came back with a freshly plucked olive leaf.
A further seven days later, Noah sent the dove out once more, and it did not return. This sequence signals that dry land was becoming available. The dove carrying an olive branch subsequently became a widespread symbol of peace and hope, although the biblical passage’s immediate purpose is practical reconnaissance.
Popular summaries sometimes mention only the dove and omit the earlier raven. Genesis includes both birds, with the dove’s olive leaf providing the best-known image.