A dove returns to Noah with a fresh olive leaf in the Noah’s Ark story.
Genesis 8 describes Noah sending birds from the ark to learn whether the waters had receded. He first sends a raven. Later, he sends a dove, which returns because it finds no place to rest. After seven days, Noah sends the dove again, and it comes back in the evening with a freshly plucked olive leaf.
On a third release, the dove does not return, indicating that the land has become habitable. The olive leaf therefore functions as a narrative sign that the Flood waters are diminishing and vegetation is available again.
The olive branch later became a widespread symbol of peace, but Genesis specifically mentions an olive leaf. Another common mix-up is assigning the leaf to the raven: the raven is the first bird sent, while the dove is the bird associated with the leaf.