The primary difference between human communication and animal communication is the duality of structure of human language. Each human language has got a fixed number of sound units called phonemes. These phonemes are combined to make morphemes. Thus language has got two levels of patterning which is not prevailed in animal communication.
Yet another distinctive feature of human communication is creativity. Human beings use their linguistic resources to produce new expressions and new sentences. They arrange and rearrange phonemes, morphemes, words and phrases to create new modes of expression. This is also called open- endedness of language. Animal communication is closed system they cannot produce new vocal signals to communicate novel events or experience.
Human beings can talk of real or imaginary situations, places and objects far removed from their present surroundings and time. Human language is context free whereas animal communication mostly context bound. Animal communication is merely a response to stimulus in the immediate environment like the presence of food or danger.