According to Genesis, Noah first released a raven from the Ark after the Flood.
Genesis 8:6–7 says that after forty days Noah opened the ark’s window and sent out a raven. The raven went back and forth until the waters dried from the earth. Noah then sent a dove, beginning a separate series of tests that included the dove’s return with a fresh olive leaf.
The raven is sometimes overlooked because the dove episode is more familiar and has become a widely recognized symbol of peace and renewal. However, the narrative’s order is clear: raven first, dove afterward.
Genesis does not explain exactly how the raven’s repeated flight indicated the changing water level. It then records Noah waiting and sending the dove at intervals. The sequence provides a simple chronology without requiring the raven and dove to have the same role.