"It is extremely dangerous to draw specific conclusions from the narratives found in Gen 1–11.
But in the case of the 'Great Flood' we have some confirmations from extra-biblical sources." (1)
"The so-called 'flood myths' in many cultures suggest that something happened, capturing the imagination of ancient man.
In the recent past there have been attempts to scientifically motivate the possibility of an earth-covering flood. I, for one, am not convinced, yet.
However, I firmly believe that some natural phenomena did occur, but where, when and on what scale, I am not prepared to speculate. That somebody, because of divine intervention, believed it necessary to take evasive action, I am prepared to accept, even if this included humans taking care of other living creatures. The only indication to the extent of this incident becomes clear if we keep in mind that the concept had been transferred orally for many generations until eventually being recorded.
The author of Genesis, for example, deemed it necessary to describe the unfolding of this particular drama in the first part of his book that he was writing. His objective was to describe the results when an individual acts inobedience to a divine command against all odds. To what extent the whole story had been the product of an overly productive imagination is of no consequence here. The fundamental premise involved is: when something had been told or written, somebody had to possess sufficient intellectual resources to produce such a narrative. These intellectual resources originate from observations of either natural or manipulated phenomena, which today are known as field observations and laboratory research.
The following example is a case in point:
Somebody, let us also call him Noah, reportedly took fourteen specimens (seven pairs, and not one pair, as is commonly envisaged) of each living species into a watertight vessel. Common sense should prevail here and make us realize that containing all of the species of the world in a single vessel is a matter of impossibility. In addition, today the symbolic value of the number seven is widely accepted by laymen, and scholars of many religious persuasions regard the number seven assignifying "completeness," or "perfect wholeness." Notwithstanding this, it has to be admitted that here the author’s intentions can be seen as being twofold:
a) To describe the first attempt by a human being to not only consider the survival of himself and his kind but to, at the same time, prevent the eminent extinction of all or a number of species in the face of detrimental circumstances.
b) But even more important: to utilize the above incident to convey the message that obedience to a divine command, is in the best interest of man and beast. At that time, and in those circumstances it meant engaging in completely irrational behavior. In other words, acting in faith was the right thing to do.
The incident provides us with the first ever mention to specific zoological families, and it is no other than two bird families, namely the family Columbidae,
known as the Pigeons and Doves, and the family Corvidae, known as the Ravens and Crows.
In Chapter 22 it was said of the latter, "their boldness and sagacity (intelligence, wisdom, insight, shrewdness), coupled with their extensive dietary range, have enabled them to adapt completely to a lifestyle of co-existing with man, even where the latter has radically altered the habitat."
A radical change in precipitation patterns in a specific location would result in the habitat being significantly altered, albeit temporarily. It is clear that the narrator was an ornithologist to the extent that he realized that if there was one species that would immediately be able to adapt to the circumstances out there and survive, it would be Corvinae. He observed bird behavior to the extent that he knew that Doves and Pigeons (Columbiformes) are generally terrestrial (ground-living) birds, and as long as the dove returned to its perch it would be an indication that the ecosystem had not yet become suitable for habitation by ground-living birds (as well as humans).
The Hebrew Canon containing these narratives had fully developed by the time of Aristotle, and the accuracy of the ornithological facts contained in this narrative and other Scriptures were never questioned by anyone to this day." (1)
(1) Hattingh, Tian (2012). Birds and Bibles in History. London Press, p. 186.