A dove returned to Noah with a freshly plucked olive leaf in the Genesis Flood story.
Genesis 8 says Noah first sent out a raven, then sent a dove to test whether the waters had receded. On its second flight, the dove returned with an olive leaf, showing that vegetation had become visible again.
The dove’s report is a staged sign of recovery. On a later flight, the bird did not return, indicating that the land was becoming habitable. Noah then waited for God’s instruction before leaving the Ark.
The olive branch later became a widely recognized symbol of peace, although the Genesis passage specifically describes an olive leaf. The bird is also distinct from the raven mentioned earlier in the same episode.