Yes, most people in the Air Force are aware of it too.

Originally the roundel was simply the letters “NZ”, then:

In January 1957 the Air Board announced that it had developed a new national emblem – a white fern would be placed on the central red of the RNZAF roundel. Because of remarks that this looked like a white feather, a symbol of cowardice, the colour was changed to silver, but on aircraft fuselage this looked like peeling paint. While some called for the fern to be replaced by a kiwi, others remarked that a flightless bird could hardly be an appropriate emblem for an air force. But support for the kiwi won out – a red kiwi was formally adopted in place of the red spot in September 1970.[1]

In essence New Zealand's best national symbol suitable for an aircraft in graphics design terms is really the worst possible symbolic bird an air force should have. However to somewhat make up for this on the crest of the RNZAF is depicted the most fearsome eagle to ever roam the skies, the Haast’s Eagle[2] (Pouakai [Maori], Harpagornis [Latin]), which happens to be another NZ native bird.

For scale: the prey birds on the right, two moa, are over 2 metres tall. Sadly all became extinct about 600 years ago due to over-hunting.

Footnotes