The dove, the most ubiquitous bird in all of Tanach, makes its first appearance when Noach sends the dove from the ark.: “At the end of 40 days, Noach opened the window of the ark…he sent forth the raven but it continuously went out and came back…He then sent off the dove from him to see whether the waters had abated…”
When Noach sends off the raven, the Torah provides no reason, but rather Noach unceremoniously ejects the poor bird from the ark. No wonder it flounders and goes nowhere. With the dove, though, the text adds these words “to see whether the waters had abated.” In short, Noach provides a reason, gives the dove a mission k’vyachol. Did Noach actually say those words to the dove, and if so, did the dove chap? The verses that follow imply the dove understood her mission on some instinctual level. I can just picture Noach murmuring, “Go, little one. See if the waters receded. I await your return. Fly safely. So much depends on you.”
The dove was given a mission, and ever since, in popular lore, has been enchanted with the mission of peace. The poor raven was given no mission and remained a bird brain.
