Clinton Gilbert Abbott (1881 – 1946) was an American ornithologist, naturalist, and Director of the San Diego Natural History Museum from 1922 to 1946.

Abbott supervised the construction of the museum's current building in Balboa Park, expanded research field trips and expeditions, and participated in important conservation efforts in southern California and the Baja California region.

[8] Under Abbott's leadership, the museum expanded its research and conservation work, education, and public programming, and in 1932, the museum moved into its current building, designed by noted San Diego architect William Templeton Johnson.

[9] In 1927, Abbott proposed the creation of a conservation area in the Borrego Palm Canyon and Thousand Palms Canyon areas east of San Diego; in 1933, Borego[10] Palms Desert State Park was created, a 185,000-acre beginning for what would become the 600,000 acre Anza-Borrego Desert State Park.

[13][14] Abbott is commemorated in the scientific name of a subspecies of gecko, Coleonyx variegatus abbotti.