In the Genesis account of Noah’s Ark, a dove first returns with a freshly plucked olive leaf.
After the Flood waters begin to recede, Noah sends birds from the ark to test whether dry land has appeared. Genesis first says that Noah releases a raven, which goes back and forth. He then sends a dove, but it initially finds nowhere to rest and returns to him.
Noah sends the dove again seven days later. This time it comes back in the evening carrying a freshly plucked olive leaf, showing that vegetation has reappeared. A final release produces no return, signaling that the land is becoming habitable.
The olive leaf later becomes a widely recognized symbol of peace and renewal. Readers sometimes reverse the raven and dove episodes, but the olive leaf is specifically carried by the dove.