In Genesis, Noah first sends a raven from Noah’s Ark.
Genesis 8:6–7 says that after the waters began to recede, Noah opened the Ark’s window and sent out a raven. The raven goes back and forth until the waters dry from the earth. Noah then sends a dove to check whether the surface has become habitable.
The raven is often overlooked because the later dove episode provides the story’s more familiar image. The dove first returns because it finds no place to rest, then returns with a freshly plucked olive leaf, and finally does not return after another release.
The sequence is a practical test of the land’s condition within the narrative. It also distinguishes the raven from the dove: the raven is sent first, while the dove supplies the recognizable sign that vegetation has reappeared.