National Geographic Complete Birds of North America, Second Edition, edited by Jonathan Alderfer. Hard-cover, 744 pages, illustrated with paintings and photographs, index, list for additional reading, $35. Available on Oct. 7.

If there is one book I would consider essential for the library of any birder, this is it. If you have only one book besides your field guide, let it be this one.

As you might guess from the page count, this is not a book to be used in the field. This is the book on your desk, for reference before or after the trip or sighting.

It has very good identification information, both detailed text and helpful illustrations. It gives you information on similar species, voice, status and distribution (well mapped), migration and wintering, and population status. This is done for every species reliably identified before November 2013, the publication cutoff date. Over 1,000 species are covered.

This book replaces and improves upon the 2005 edition. Text for that edition was written 24 by the field ornithologists. This new edition contains additional text by additional authors, including 12 new avian family accounts and more than 60 new species accounts.

The species accounts introduce each family section, i.e. Ducks, Geese, and Swans; Sandpipers, Phalaropes, and Allies; Shrikes; Wood-Warblers; and so on. One might be tempted by skip these introductions, but shouldn't. The overview of family structure, plumage, behavior, distribution, taxonomy, and conservation does a fine job of putting individual birds in perspective. Identification will be easier with this information in hand.

When asides are called for, when extra information would be helpful on separating species, for instance, clear, brief illustrated text gives the reader a leg up.

You might recognize some of the artwork. Most of it comes from the 2011 (6th) edition of the "National Geographic Field Guide to the Birds of North America."

I have collected shelves of books I always hope will answer any birding question I have. This book does not do everything those books do — there are limits to size, after all. But this book will be the place I begin my search for whatever. It is complete, complete and well-done.