Noah first sent a raven from Noah’s Ark to test whether the Flood waters had receded. Genesis says the raven went back and forth until the waters dried from the earth.
After sending the raven, Noah sent a dove. The dove returned because it found nowhere to rest, then returned later with a freshly plucked olive leaf. On a subsequent release, it did not return, signaling that the land was becoming habitable.
The raven is frequently overlooked because the dove provides the story’s more familiar image. In biblical symbolism, ravens appear in several contexts, including the story of Elijah, whom ravens feed during a drought. Ravens are also highly adaptable birds capable of long-distance flight, but Genesis presents the episode as part of Noah’s practical search for evidence that the waters had fallen.