Flight Crew Instrument; Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP); Flight Crew Multiengine
Troubleshooting
Aircraft Equipment Problem Less Severe; Inflight Event / Encounter Bird / Animal
Air Traffic Control Provided Assistance; Aircraft Aircraft Damaged; Flight Crew Overcame Equipment Problem
Aircraft
On departure from ZZZ climbing through 4;500 ft. we experienced a bird strike on the FO (First Officer) side front window. As of a result of the impact; it knocked out some of the switch lights and lighting covers from the overhead panel. We did not reset the switches. After we accessed the situation and concluded that all engine indications and system operations were normal; we contacted company and Maintenance. The joint decision was to continue to ZZZ1. But because the impact was so hard we couldn't be sure the window wasn't compromised and some of the switch lights that came out were on the pressurization panel; we elected to stay at 10;000 ft. for the duration of the flight and get a more direct routing to ZZZ1 for fuel burn. Our Dispatcher sent us new fuel burn numbers at that altitude and we landed in ZZZ1 without any further issues. We did not [request priority handling] but about halfway to ZZZ1 ATC said they were [establishing priority] for us. I believe; as a precaution from the bird strike; ATC did this because we had stayed at the lower altitude and requested a more direct routing to ZZZ1.
CRJ900 Captain reported a bird strike lead to flying at or below 10;000 ft. for the duration of the flight.