Which bird did Noah send out first to search for dry land?

Noah first sent a raven to search for dry land.

Genesis 8:7 says that Noah sent out a raven after the ark had come to rest and the waters were receding. The raven flew back and forth until the waters dried from the earth. Noah then sent a dove, beginning the better-known sequence involving the olive leaf.

Many retellings focus only on the dove because its return with an olive leaf became a symbol of peace and renewed life. That emphasis can make the raven easy to overlook, even though it is the first bird named in the Genesis bird tests.

The two birds serve different narrative roles. The raven’s movements indicate that the search has begun, while the dove’s repeated returns provide more precise signs about whether land and vegetation are available. The story does not say that the raven returned carrying a branch.