In Genesis, what did Noah’s dove return with after being sent from the Ark?

In Genesis, Noah’s dove returned to the Ark with an olive leaf.

Genesis 8:11 says that the dove returned in the evening carrying a freshly plucked olive leaf. Noah understood this as evidence that the floodwaters had receded enough for vegetation to appear above the water. The episode follows an earlier release of a raven and a first release of the dove, which found no suitable place to rest.

The olive leaf later became a widely recognized symbol of peace, reconciliation, and hope. Its association with the biblical story helped give the image enduring significance in Jewish, Christian, artistic, and secular traditions.

The text identifies an olive leaf, not a branch from an unspecified tree. This is sometimes confused with later artwork that depicts a larger twig or branch in the bird’s beak. Genesis then records that Noah removed the covering of the Ark after the ground had dried and eventually left the vessel.