After the flood waters begin to recede, Noah first sends out a raven.
Genesis 8:7 says Noah released a raven, which went back and forth until the waters had dried from the earth. He then sent a dove to test whether the floodwater had withdrawn from the ground. The two birds therefore have different roles in the sequence.
The dove becomes more prominent in later retellings because it returns with an olive leaf and is associated with peace. That memorable image sometimes causes people to remember the dove as the first bird, but the biblical order is raven first, dove afterward.
The account continues with additional releases of the dove. Its return with a fresh olive leaf signals that vegetation has reappeared, while its later failure to return indicates a safer, drier landscape. These bird episodes are among the narrative’s clearest chronological markers.