Narrative:

Just after takeoff; our flight sustained multiple bird strikes along the left side of the aircraft just under the captain's windscreen. Additionally; the #1 (left) engine showed N1; itt; vibration fluctuations along with the distinct smell of burning flesh which was evidence that the engine had ingested an unknown number of birds. The flight was on a night IFR flight plan. ATC was informed and an emergency declared with the intention of returning to ZZZ. Crash fire rescue equipment assistance was also requested. Souls on board and fuel state was relayed to ATC. Though the left engine was damaged; it still was producing some thrust. Therefore; I elected not to shut the engine down. If necessary; I would use reduced thrust. We also had an MEL deferral on 1 electric hydraulic pump which would cause the landing gear to deploy slower than normal. We briefed this and deployed the landing gear early to allow for normal extension. The landing was carried out safely on the longest runway. After taxiing off runway; the aircraft was stopped so that crash fire rescue equipment could inspect us. They said there was no evidence of fire. Therefore; we proceeded back to the gate. Postflt inspection revealed multiple impacts just below the captain's windscreen and the #1 (left) engine showed considerable damage. There were no injuries to passenger or crew. Being nighttime; there was no way to see or avoid the birds which turned out to be geese.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: CARJ STRIKES MULTIPLE GEESE SHORTLY AFTER TKOF. RETURNS UNDER EMER CONDITIONS. THE DAMAGED ENG REMAINED RUNNING.

Narrative: JUST AFTER TKOF; OUR FLT SUSTAINED MULTIPLE BIRD STRIKES ALONG THE L SIDE OF THE ACFT JUST UNDER THE CAPT'S WINDSCREEN. ADDITIONALLY; THE #1 (L) ENG SHOWED N1; ITT; VIBRATION FLUCTUATIONS ALONG WITH THE DISTINCT SMELL OF BURNING FLESH WHICH WAS EVIDENCE THAT THE ENG HAD INGESTED AN UNKNOWN NUMBER OF BIRDS. THE FLT WAS ON A NIGHT IFR FLT PLAN. ATC WAS INFORMED AND AN EMER DECLARED WITH THE INTENTION OF RETURNING TO ZZZ. CFR ASSISTANCE WAS ALSO REQUESTED. SOULS ON BOARD AND FUEL STATE WAS RELAYED TO ATC. THOUGH THE L ENG WAS DAMAGED; IT STILL WAS PRODUCING SOME THRUST. THEREFORE; I ELECTED NOT TO SHUT THE ENG DOWN. IF NECESSARY; I WOULD USE REDUCED THRUST. WE ALSO HAD AN MEL DEFERRAL ON 1 ELECTRIC HYD PUMP WHICH WOULD CAUSE THE LNDG GEAR TO DEPLOY SLOWER THAN NORMAL. WE BRIEFED THIS AND DEPLOYED THE LNDG GEAR EARLY TO ALLOW FOR NORMAL EXTENSION. THE LNDG WAS CARRIED OUT SAFELY ON THE LONGEST RWY. AFTER TAXIING OFF RWY; THE ACFT WAS STOPPED SO THAT CFR COULD INSPECT US. THEY SAID THERE WAS NO EVIDENCE OF FIRE. THEREFORE; WE PROCEEDED BACK TO THE GATE. POSTFLT INSPECTION REVEALED MULTIPLE IMPACTS JUST BELOW THE CAPT'S WINDSCREEN AND THE #1 (L) ENG SHOWED CONSIDERABLE DAMAGE. THERE WERE NO INJURIES TO PAX OR CREW. BEING NIGHTTIME; THERE WAS NO WAY TO SEE OR AVOID THE BIRDS WHICH TURNED OUT TO BE GEESE.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of January 2009 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.