Q400
Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP); Flight Crew Instrument; Flight Crew Multiengine
Communication Breakdown; Distraction
Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural FAR; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Published Material / Policy; Inflight Event / Encounter Bird / Animal
General None Reported / Taken
Aircraft; Human Factors
During my exterior preflight inspection; I found evidence of a bird strike on both the left propeller and the nose.  With all of the commotion surrounding the flight; I forgot to notify the Captain of this until we were about ready to push.  It was an honest mistake; and it simply got lost in everything else that was going on (delayed inbound aircraft; specials; etc.).  Once the Captain knew of this; he stopped the operation immediately and we had Contract Maintenance come out and do an inspection.There was no post-flight inspection done by the previous Captain...this could have gotten the ball rolling with Maintenance.  Moreover; I should have stopped what I was doing when I first saw evidence of the bird strike and notified the Captain immediately. That would have at least mitigated the Maintenance delay.
First Officer reported not relaying a bird strike to the Captain or Maintenance in a timely manner.