How many times did Noah send out the dove during the Flood story in Genesis?

Noah sent out the dove three times during the Flood story in Genesis. The releases are described in Genesis 8:8-12 as Noah tested whether the waters had receded.

On the first release, the dove found no resting place and returned to the ark. Noah waited seven days and sent it out again; this time it returned with a freshly plucked olive leaf. After another seven days, Noah sent the dove out a third time, and it did not return.

The three releases create a progression of signs: no visible land, evidence of vegetation, and finally the bird’s ability to remain outside. The olive leaf became a widely recognized symbol of peace and renewal, although its immediate role in Genesis is as evidence that the waters were going down.

The dove is often remembered only for the olive leaf, which can obscure the fact that Genesis records three separate releases. The raven appears earlier and is a different bird in the sequence.