In the Noah’s Ark story, which bird first returned with evidence that the waters had receded?
Answer
A dove with an olive leaf
In the Noah’s Ark story, a dove first returned with an olive leaf as evidence that the waters had receded. Noah sent the dove after first sending a raven, and the dove initially found nowhere to land.
After waiting seven days, Noah sent the dove again. It returned toward evening carrying a freshly plucked olive leaf, showing that vegetation had reappeared above the water. Noah waited another seven days before sending it once more; the dove did not return.
The olive branch later became a widely recognized symbol of peace, although the Genesis episode specifically concerns the end of the flood and the return of dry land. Artistic depictions often show the dove carrying a branch rather than the single leaf mentioned in Genesis.
The story therefore distinguishes the raven from the dove. The raven is sent first, while the dove provides the clear sign that the floodwaters are going down.