In the Genesis story of Noah’s Ark, a dove first returned with evidence that the waters were receding.
After the ark came to rest, Noah sent out a raven, which flew back and forth. He then sent a dove to test whether the floodwaters had subsided. The dove initially found nowhere to land and returned to him.
Noah sent the dove out again seven days later. This time it came back in the evening carrying a freshly plucked olive leaf, showing that vegetation had become visible. After another seven days, Noah sent it out once more, and it did not return.
The dove and olive branch later became widely recognized symbols of peace and hope, although Genesis presents the episode primarily as a practical test of the changing conditions outside the ark. The raven and dove therefore have different roles in the sequence.