According to Genesis, a raven was the first bird Noah sent from the Ark to test the floodwaters.
Genesis 8:6–7 says that after forty days Noah opened the ark’s window and sent out a raven. The raven went back and forth until the waters dried from the earth. Noah then sent a dove, beginning a sequence in which the dove eventually returned with a freshly plucked olive leaf.
The raven and dove have different roles in the passage. Popular retellings often emphasize the dove because it returns with the olive leaf, an enduring symbol of peace and hope. That emphasis can cause people to overlook the raven’s earlier appearance.
The Genesis text does not identify the raven by species beyond calling it a raven. Its behavior in the narrative functions as a sign that the condition of the land is changing before Noah and his family leave the vessel.