Noah first released a raven to investigate the Flood waters.
Genesis 8:7 says Noah sent out a raven after the ark came to rest and the waters began to decrease. The text says the raven went back and forth until the waters dried from the earth. Noah later sent a dove, whose repeated returns provided a more specific sign about whether dry land and vegetation were available.
The raven and dove have different roles in the sequence. The raven’s behavior is described briefly, while the dove’s return with an olive leaf is the scene most often remembered. As a result, people sometimes incorrectly name the dove as the first bird released. In the biblical order, the raven comes first.
The passage does not describe Noah sending an eagle, hawk, or sparrow. Nor does it say that the raven brought back an object. Its movement itself appears to have helped Noah assess the changing conditions outside the ark.