In the Genesis flood story, Noah first released a raven from the Ark.
Genesis 8 says that after the waters had receded, Noah opened the window of the ark 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 Noah then sent a dove to discover whether the floodwater had withdrawn from the ground.
The raven is often overlooked because the dove became the better-known symbol in later retellings. The dove returned once without finding a resting place, then came back with a freshly plucked olive leaf, and finally did not return after a later release. Those episodes are distinct from the raven’s first flight.
The account does not identify the raven by species beyond calling it a raven. Later paintings, children’s books, and films may add visual details, but the biblical narrative specifically names the first bird as a raven.