In Genesis, Noah first sent out a raven after the floodwaters began to recede.
Genesis 8:6–7 says that Noah opened the Ark's window and sent out a raven. The bird went back and forth until the waters had dried from the earth. Noah later sent a dove to test whether the water had fallen enough for land to be found.
The dove episode is usually remembered more vividly because the dove eventually returned with a freshly plucked olive leaf. On a later release, it did not return, signaling that the ground was becoming habitable. This makes the raven an easy detail to overlook when the two birds are discussed together.
The account does not explain why Noah chose these particular birds. Ravens are capable fliers and scavengers, while doves are commonly associated with returning to a known resting place. The raven and dove are therefore separate steps in the Genesis narrative, not interchangeable names for the same test.