What did the dove bring back to Noah to show that the Flood waters were receding?

The dove brought Noah a freshly plucked olive leaf to show that the Flood waters were receding. Genesis 8:11 says Noah understood from the leaf that the waters had gone down from the earth.

Noah had previously sent out a raven, and later he sent the dove out more than once. On its first reported return, the dove found no place to rest and came back to the Ark. The olive leaf was evidence that vegetation had reappeared above the waters.

The passage says “olive leaf,” not an olive branch. Later artistic and cultural traditions commonly show the dove carrying a small branch, which is why the shorter expression is familiar today.

The olive leaf is also distinct from the dove itself. The bird was the messenger, while the leaf was the sign Noah interpreted. Genesis then describes a later release when the dove did not return.