The Airbus A319 carrying 43 passengers from Palm Beach, Florida, landed safely at JFK Airport just before 7 p.m.
Photos show that the plane's front cone sustained significant damage.
Delta says that the plane hit a bird. They previously thought the damage might have been caused by hail.
"Delta flight 1076 operating from West Palm Beach to New York-LaGuardia diverted to New York-JFK after encountering a bird," Delta officials said in a statement. "The flight landed safely and without incident, and maintenance is evaluating the aircraft."
The FAA is investigating.