According to Genesis, Noah first releases a raven from the Ark.
Genesis 8:7 says Noah sends out a raven after the waters begin to recede. The bird flies back and forth until the waters dry from the earth, beginning the account’s sequence of bird tests.
Noah then sends a dove to find out whether the waters have receded from the ground. Because the dove returns with an olive leaf and later does not return, readers often remember the dove more vividly and mistakenly identify it as the first bird released.
The raven and dove serve different narrative functions in the text. The raven is released first, while the dove provides the more recognizable sign that dry land is returning. The episode is also the source of the widespread dove-and-olive-branch symbol associated with peace and hope.