I would think so, but M-W doesn’t list a fowl:

  Definition of yardbird
  1 : a soldier assigned to a menial task or restricted to a limited area as a disciplinary measure
  2 : an untrained or inept enlisted man

https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/yardbird

The OED apparently agrees:

  *"Mil.* A recruit, a newly-  enlisted serviceman; also, a serviceman under
  discipline for a misdemeanour; one assigned to menial tasks. Also
  *transf."*First
  ex.: (late) 1941.

The person who made this citation claims that comic strip “Barney Google and Snuffy Smith” made reference earlier.

https://listserv.linguistlist.org/pipermail/ads-l/2014-June/...

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barney_Google_and_Snuffy_Smith

Yes: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yardbird (3rd one on the list).