In the Book of Genesis, Noah first released a raven from the ark after the Flood waters began to recede.
Genesis 8:6–7 says Noah opened the ark's window and sent out a raven. The bird flew back and forth until the waters had dried from the earth. Noah then sent a dove to test whether the ground was clear.
The raven is sometimes confused with the dove because both birds appear in the same sequence. The dove's later flights provide the story's more familiar signs: an olive leaf and, finally, no return.
The episode belongs to the biblical Flood narrative, in which Noah, his family, and selected animals survive inside the ark. The raven's repeated flight is presented as an early test of conditions outside the vessel, not as proof that the land was already safe for people to leave.