In Genesis, Noah first sent out a raven after the Flood waters began to recede.
Genesis 8:6–7 says that Noah opened the ark’s window after forty days and sent out a raven. The raven went back and forth until the waters had dried from the earth. Noah later sent a dove to test whether the ground was suitable for leaving the ark.
The raven and dove have different roles in the narrative. The dove first returned because it found nowhere to rest, then returned with a freshly plucked olive leaf, and finally did not return after a later release. That sequence made the dove especially prominent in later religious art and symbolism.
Because the dove is more famous in popular retellings, it is often mistakenly identified as the first bird Noah released. Genesis places the raven first and the dove afterward. The account does not identify the raven’s species beyond calling it a raven.