Noah first released a raven from the Ark, before sending a dove.
Genesis 8:7 says Noah sent out a raven after the waters began to diminish. The raven flew back and forth until the waters had dried from the earth, according to the narrative. Noah then sent a dove to look for a clearer sign of emerging land.
The dove’s returns provide the better-known sequence: it first found no resting place, later returned with an olive leaf, and finally did not return. Because the dove and olive leaf became famous symbols, people often overlook that the raven was the first bird released.
The account does not explain why Noah chose a raven first or describe the bird’s behavior in scientific detail. Its role is chronological: it is the first bird named in the post-Flood search for habitable ground.