In the Noah’s Ark story, Noah released a raven first after the waters began to recede.
Genesis 8:6–7 says that Noah opened the Ark’s window and sent out a raven. The bird went to and fro until the waters had dried from the earth. Noah then sent a dove to check whether the floodwaters had withdrawn.
The raven and dove serve different narrative roles. The raven is described as continuing its movement, while the dove provides a series of clearer signs: it first returns because it finds no resting place, then returns with a freshly plucked olive leaf, and finally does not return.
Readers sometimes remember only the dove because it carries the best-known symbol of renewed land and peace. However, the sequence in Genesis begins with the raven. The account does not identify the raven by species beyond its ordinary bird name.