According to Genesis, Noah sent out a dove three times to test the land.
Genesis 8 describes three releases of the dove. The first time, it returned because the waters still covered the ground. Noah waited seven days and sent it again; it returned in the evening with a freshly plucked olive leaf. After another seven days, he sent it a third time, and it did not return.
The sequence shows a practical search for dry land within the story. It also explains why the dove and olive branch became widely recognized symbols of peace, renewal, and hope. The raven is sent earlier, but Genesis does not describe the raven as being released three times. The dove’s three-part sequence is therefore a specific detail rather than a general statement that Noah used birds to explore.