In Genesis, Noah sent out a dove after first sending a raven.
Genesis 8 describes Noah opening the ark’s window after the waters began to recede. He first sent a raven, which went back and forth. Noah then sent a dove to see whether the waters had subsided from the ground. The dove returned because it found no place to rest, and after seven days Noah sent it again.
On the second return, the dove carried a freshly plucked olive leaf, showing that vegetation had reappeared. Noah waited another seven days and sent the dove once more; it did not return. The dove and olive leaf have become widely recognized symbols of peace and renewal, though the Genesis account presents them primarily as practical signs that the land was becoming habitable.