According to Genesis, Noah first sent out a raven after the Flood waters began receding. Genesis 8:7 says that Noah released the raven, which went back and forth until the waters dried from the Earth. He then sent a dove to look for a sign that the land had become habitable.
The raven and dove are often blended together in popular retellings, but the order in Genesis is clear: raven first, dove afterward. The dove was sent repeatedly. On its second outing, it returned with a freshly plucked olive leaf, and on its third outing it did not return.
The bird episode provides a practical test of conditions outside the Ark. It also became one of the best-known symbolic scenes associated with Noah, especially the dove carrying an olive leaf. That familiar image should not obscure the narrative’s earlier mention of the raven.