In Genesis, a dove brought Noah an olive leaf from the flooded earth.
After the waters began to recede, Genesis says Noah first sent out a raven. He then sent a dove to learn whether the surface of the land had dried. The dove returned because it found nowhere to rest, but Noah sent it out again seven days later.
On the second flight, the dove came back in the evening carrying a freshly plucked olive leaf. Noah understood this as evidence that the waters had diminished. After another seven days, the dove did not return, signaling that the land was becoming habitable.
The olive branch later became a widely recognized symbol of peace, although that broader symbolism developed beyond the immediate biblical scene. The raven and dove are both part of the story, but the bird carrying the olive leaf is specifically the dove.